Dusic

Schneiderlin vs Newcastle was a team goal that didnt get a lot of attention but was the kind that only happens in a team thats a confident and well oiled machine - we wouldn't score that goal now. Another unheralded one IMO was Ings vs Spurs away in the cup game where Redmond broke and played him in, lovely goal. He was in the kind of form that as soon as the ball went to him you knew it would end in a goal. Summed up the best of those two players. For a long range shot, Clyne at the Emirates was class - not many cleaner strikes than that.

He is on trial at Utd now. Assume we decided not to sign him and tbhbwe seem to have so many forward prospects its hard to give them all games.

History shows that you pretty much get two seasons to come back up straight away before you start to struggle. You could argue that our squad isnt really suited to the physical nature of the Championship and we have so many players that almost certainly would leave for PL sides (Salisu, ABK, KWP, JWP, Livramento, Lavia, Adams at the very least) that it would be a major job to get those players out, replace them, get over the disappointment/inquest of relegation and crack on with a promotion season. Thats before we mention the potential impact on the academy, and some of our better prospects who will have stacks of PL interest and probably aren't whats needed to get promoted at this stage of their careers. Also seems likely that the other two who go down would be either big clubs or clubs with very recent experience of promotion from the Championship. Goes without saying but absolutely no guarentee we would get back anytime soon. Hopefully the players don't have a defeatist attitude but as we have seen before a few know whatever happens they will be in the PL next season anyway.

Seems a good time to assess the relegation battle seeing as we are firmly involved. I would probably break it down as follows: Very unlikely to be relegated: Brighton, Leicester, Palace, Villa, West Ham Potentially involved but would need a big drop off: Brentford, Fulham In trouble, likely candidates: Wolves, Saints, Forest, Everton, Leeds, Bournemouth Of those in the latter category, I would say we have as good a squad as anyone there so there is still a good opportunity to finish above 3 of them. So frustrsting that we lost to Wolves as we should have at least drawn that. The games against all of these teams are going to be massive. If we want any chance of dragging either/both of Fulham and Brentford in we will need to get at least 4 points from our 2 fixtures with them both, as they are 7 ahead of us with a substantially better GD which is a lot to turn around especially as they look competent and both have a good striker. Whilst we can clearly help ourselves, its definitely at a stage where we need to hope other results help us and should hope those other 5 drop as many points as possible. Also, not sure 35 will be enough this season, will need to get onto at least 1 point per game I think to be more certain. Its very tough to have any real confidence in picking three of those who will likely finish below us. So much rests on any boost we get from Jones just after the restart, but equally hoping Lopetegui/Bielsa (?)/Lampard replacement(?) don't achieve the same or more, and the same goes for the transfer market where at least Everton and Wolves will also be looking for forward players, Bournemouth will have a new owner, Forest sign anyone who moves and Leeds haven't seen shy of spending. Will be a tense 2nd half of the season right til the end in theory - but equally could be almost decided (either way) by the start of March, such is the importance of smashing that run from Boxing Day until Leeds on 25th where we play all of the others around us.

IMO its not that we have a terrible squad. Its more that in attack we haven't really got any players of genuine quality or that other teams fear. Overall we probably have a comparable squad to someone like Palace in many areas but we have nobody anywhere near the level of Zaha and probably not Olise and Eze. Likewise Brentford haven't got stacks of better players than us but have Toney. We have a better squad than Bmth and probably similar quality wise to Forest, Leeds, Wolves etc. I think if we get a couple in Jan in the forward areas who have an immediate impact then we could be ok. If not then we will struggle. We have played 15 games and only scored twice in 3 of them - getting 7 points from those games. But we haven't scored twice since the Chelsea game at the end of August. That IMO is our biggest problem - its so hard to keep clean sheets as the opponents mostly have class attackers. We need to find a way to be more of a goal threat and to do that we need some new players because the likes of A.Armstrong, Elyounoussi, Walcott etc just can't do it.

I would leave him where he is. We need to sign someone who comes straight into the team and has an element of proven ability. Tella has yet to show that he is PL quality, hence the correct decision to loan him out in the first place. Great that he is doing well though, so many of our loans don't seem to work out well.

What do we think is priority? 1. Striker who is a finisher 2. Wide forward with some pace and goal threat 3. Centre mid cover, especially if AMN needed at RB for a while? 4. LB cover?

Probably hard for the Forest game on 4th Jan but considering the WC break surely we should have some players in by the Everton game on 14th Jan. We can't afford to mess about and wait til deadline day this time. If that means overpaying then its a punishment for not doing the job in the summer. As others say, the problem this season is that a few of the teams right down there now are sides like West Ham and Villa who we know won't go down. Its annoying that Fulham and Brentford are already 7 points ahead of us. We areally need to beat both of them in that little run. Bmth will be down there, Wolves struggle to score but Forest are improving, Leeds score goals, Everton will probably spend in Jan and the likes of West Ham, Villa, Leicester, Palace won't go down. IMO its 3 from Saints, Forest, Wolves, Bournemouth, Everton and Leeds unless Fulham or Brentford hit a horror run at some point, which they havent really shown any sign of.

Some of Jones' best answers were to the questions on whether he really belongs in/is ready for a PL job. Its clear he believes he does and that he has earned the right and his words seemed genuine. A kind of self assurance that all good PL managers have. Thats a start. He also confirmed Selles is valued & staying and that Sheehan is specifically on set plays

His staff is interesting too in that both Cohen and Sheehan are mid 30s, so relatively young. Both were captains and Cohen especially a very good player - spent a long time at Forest, 8 years or so. He then became Forest U23 manager and got them promoted in his first season before joining Luton as a first team coach. Sheehan I think was a captain for Luton under Jones and then went back there as a coach at the start of 2022. Alongside Selles and Carl Martin its a nice mix and on the younger side which hopefully helps the players relate to them.

First press conference and I thought he came across well, and talks good game. Clearly very passionate and I'm sure well capable of giving the players a rocket but also soujds like he will be a bit more hands on and approachable than Ralph was. Interesting that he kind of gave way that he had a good idea he was coming here before or at least during the Newcastle game as his father in law was giving him some tips! Also pretty clear he was a SR hire, mentioning that Ankersen knows what he wants from a manager/team and NJ scores high on those metrics hence getting the job ahead of others, he suggested the club looked at a lot of managers over a long time. Reading between the lines I think he probably was lined up to come in after the Liverpool game - perhaps for a while - and then thats been accelerated. Also suggested cash will be available in Jan if the squad needs a bit of help (which it obviously does). A gamble, yes - but definitely a calculated and thought out appointment rather than a random stab in the dark. Lets hope he gets off to the start that he and we so badly need.

Good interview. Telling perhaps that there are no quotes from Semmens, Crocker or Ankersen - who owns the appointment? Usually there would be the usual explanation of why he is the right guy. Whilst they let him get on with the training ground stuff theybreally need to help him out with two quality additions in attack, plus hoping KWP and/or Tino are back in January.

In that Sky interview he makes a point of saying that at Luton his group of players would die for him and that at Stoke it was a different scenario. Thats going to be a big factor at Saints. Assuming that reports are true and the players didn't like/had gronw tired of Ralph then his first impressions over the next month or so will surely be a massive factor in how successful he is. Ralph made the point multiple times that we have a good group of honest players and I would tend to agree, there doesnt seem to be too many rotten apples and are a lot of players who are still quite new at Saints and personally looking to make their mark on the PL - no reason for them to play up unless Jones comes across as an absolute idiot. Assuming he keeps Selles who is popular with the squad that should help him also. Would be fascinating to know how he prepares for that first meeting with the players and what he would say to them. In many ways his experience at Stoke will have helped him I think and he is probably better for it. Most Managers aside from those who only ever take top jobs at the richest clubs have failed somewhere. In some sense I like the fact that it will be a proper challenge for him rather than a Benitez type who would just see it as another job. Definitely a risk, but everything we know of Ankersen suggests he is that type of person so not sure why there is such suprise that he hasn't gone for a more 'obvious' candidate - that isnt his game.

Of course he wants it, and Saints (Ankersen) obviously want to appoint him. Once that happens good luck to him, lets hope he smashes it! Will need to hit the ground running and be suported in the transfer market in January.

I don't think our squad has the players to really play ugly football that is effective. We have a squad to be energetic and front foot (in most positions aside from attacking midfield). Our best chance of success IMO is to get back to outrunning the opposition, play dynamic, quick football and actually being nasty to play against as Ralph often said. We have massively lost that and it was what made us good when he had out best spells under him. If we try to turn into a really direct, win the 2nd balls, defend deep type team we will definitely go down as our recruitment has not been tailored to that style.

Whilst I am very dubious, here is an alternative way to view it: Its pretty easy to see why Ankersen et al are fans of Nathan Jones. He may not tick the boxes of PL experience, European experience etc but he ticks the box that they likely see as what we most need: A manager with proven ability to finish above teams with better players and deeper pockets. I would imagine key to that is hard work, team spirit, role clarity and being willing to change up tactically recognising that you can't play the same way against everyone and, with lesser players, you have to be a pain to play against in various ways - something we haven't been for ages. At Stoke there was expectation of winning, players who thought they were better than their opponent and who had previously played at a higher level. In this context his job at Saints will be much more similar to his job at Luton than at Stoke.

I don't disagree but almost the entire point of Saints at the moment seems to be to give someone a chance to do those type of things because of the theory that once they have already done them they are, for some reason, unattainable to us. I am more concerned by the 3 CB formation and supposed direct style rather than an him not having managed in the PL before. As for a striker, thats not his job to do.

Whoever we end up with you have to assume that whoever is hiring him has done a lot of due dilligence as they have known for ages that a change was likely to be needed. Also if we have learned anything from the managerial speculation this season involving Forest, Wolves, Bmth, Villa etc it that until something is announced things change fast in football.

Pretty easy to summarise IMO: - Right decision to replace Ralph but they have taken too long to do it and in that time l've felt sorry for him because he deserved a more dignified exit after the admirable service. - Overall he has done a good job in a period of low/no investment where our best players have continually been sold. Especially his first year or so he really changed the feeling around the club - we were on a clesr path to relegation. Ironically we now need someone to have the kind of impact he first did. - SR has to get both of these right in order for us to avoid relegation: 1. Good managerial appointment who can get us back playing to a specific style but also to quickly get results - our fixtures after the WC are the best run of the season on paper and immediate results will be needed to avoid being cut adrift. 2. January has to see the signing of two good attackers to go straight into the side and add goals and creativity. Whoever takes charge will have little chance otherwise. The WC break gives ample time to sort something for day one of the window...get it done even if it means overpaying - its their fault we didnt address this in the summer.

Overall just doesn't have the verve he has and has lost that belief that we can challenge teams with greater resources, which shows in our performances. Specifically when asked by Blackmore about having done nearly 4 years and what his reflections were he spoke very much in a way that it was nearly the end rather than part of a longer journey. Referred to how much older he looks than when he started and that 4 years is a long time for a manager at a club. Said we have had ups and downs and opportunities for higher finishes. He didn't make any reference to the future. I think Blackmore missed an obvious follow up, "How energised are you for the future here?" Or "Whats your next goals with Saints?" Would have been interesting to hear his response as he is usually pretty honest. ----------- Redmond's Athletic interview today is interesting on Ralph, summing up most peoples feelings that we press but have little else in attack. I maintain NR was misunderstood and actually a good character who cared more than many players.

His press conference on Thursday gave off the vibe that he is on his way out soon and he knows it.

Hopefully Lavia is fit to start because we need AMN at RB.

https://www.jeunesfooteux.com/Pape-Gyeye-OM-a-des-touches-en-Premier-League_a59516.html

Watching the highlights I wouldn't place much emphasis on Mara scoring four. The defending was absolutely woeful and a couple of the finishes quite unconvincing. Ironically by far the best (free kick aside) was Payne's.

I think its a striker and a no10 type that we need. Not sure any one player will make enough of a difference. Whilst Adams misses some good chances, we also don't create anywhere near enough and really miss some quality to create.